First lady Melania Trump will honor young artificial intelligence innovators who have been empowered to solve problems using the new technology, senior adviser Marc Beckman told Newsmax on Tuesday.
Speaking on "Wake Up America" with co-hosts Sharla McBride and Marc Lotter, Beckman said a Tuesday event at the White House highlights Melania Trump's push to ensure American students are prepared to lead in the rapidly evolving AI economy.
"Our first lady, Melania Trump, has been a champion for technology, education, and American children," Beckman said. "She's on a mission to put our next generation ahead of the curve on an international scale."
During a ceremony in the East Room, Melania Trump was scheduled to recognize winners of a nationwide AI challenge open to students in grades K-12.
The competition encouraged students to develop AI-powered solutions to real-world problems in areas including healthcare, finance, community service, and national defense.
According to Beckman, the initiative grew out of a 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump aimed at promoting AI education and literacy among young Americans.
"The bottom line is that artificial intelligence is the underpinning of every business sector today," Beckman said. "The first lady is setting our next generation up so that they have the skills and they're prepared to lead the way into the future."
The event comes as concerns continue to grow over AI's potential misuse, including deepfake technology and its impact on jobs.
Earlier this year, Melania Trump played a leading role in advancing the bipartisan Take It Down Act, which targets the non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit images and videos, including AI-generated deepfakes.
But Beckman said the first lady wants Americans to see the positive side of the technology as well.
"She challenged them with this contest to create tools via AI that could solve local problems," he said. "Really hands-on skills to create AI literacy and AI tools to push us forward."
Beckman noted that Melania Trump has consistently emphasized how artificial intelligence can democratize education and create opportunities for individuals and communities.
"If you look at what the first lady has done as it relates to artificial intelligence, both domestically and internationally, she keeps talking about how artificial intelligence can democratize education and empower individuals," he said.
Beckman also teased a major announcement later this week involving the first lady's "Fostering the Future" initiative.
He said Melania Trump will join Treasury Department officials on Thursday to unveil a new effort focused on protecting children in the foster care system.
"Children, technology, education," Beckman said. "That's always been her focus."
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